Wheel



Oct. 8, 1935. B. lSlDlN 2,016,435

- v WHEEL Filed Jan. 50, 1951 2 sheets-Shasta n I ie/vea/cr AW Oct. 8, 1935.

WHEEL Filed Jan. 50, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwuento'o Illlllll 111/1 Patented Oct. 8, 1935 UNITED STATES n WHEEL Benedict Isidln, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Aluminum ompany of America,

Pittsburgh,

Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 30, 1931, Serial No. 512,335

' 11 Claims. (01. 301-6) This invention relates to an improvement in vehicle wheels with especial reference to automobile wheels, and more specifically it relates .to the application of the metals and particularly light metals such as aluminum, magnesium and similar metals and their alloys to the field of wheel manufacture.

. Wheels made wholly or partly from the heavier metals such as iron or steel have been made and used heretofore. Due to the fact that these metals are subject to corrosive influences and in their natural state do not present an ornamental aiid pleasant appearance as well as adding very materially to the unsprung weight,

there has arisen a demand for a lighter metal which will resist corrosion and which may be i used in the ordinary cast condition without a protective coating or without any applied ornamental finish except at the option of the user.

Accordingly, the principal object of this invention is to construct a wheel which may be readily cast, preferably in permanent molds,

from aluminum or magnesium alloy or the like.

and one which will be free from injurious shrinkage stresses and the like tending to cause failure in service.

It is preferred to cast the wheel in permanent or metal molds, since it is well known in the art that castings produced from such. molds show a high degree of grain refinement as compared with those cast in sand. This grain refinement is invariably accompanied by an improvement in physical properties resulting in greater strength and resistance to strain without plastic deformation.

Another object of this invention is to /provide a spoked wheel including an integral brake drum and brake housing and to arrange the elements forming the spokes, brake drum, and housing in such amanner as to obtain maximum strength and rigidity of the wheel under the various stresses to which the same is subjected in service with a minimum of material and unsprung weight.. g

A further object of this invention is to casta wheel in such a manner as to avoid the creation of shrinkage stresses therein by casting the hub and spoke'portions in one piece and the felloe and brake drum in another piece so that the circumferential contraction of the annular felloe and brake drum in'cooling and solidifying is not imposed on the spoke and hub portions to set up unrelieved stresses therein.

Another object is to construct a two part wheel in such a manner that the sections may be readily assembled with a minimum of machining and may, if desired. be shrunk together to insure a tight fit and to eliminate any possibility of squeaks or rattles arising in service. Another obiectis to construct a cast metal wheel, having an integral brake housing serving to reinforce the central portion of the wheel, in such a man- A ner as to produce an attractive, ornamental structure resembling a conventional assembled wheel. Other objects and advantages will ap- 10 pear in the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of wheel constructed in accordance with this invention. 15

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section taken along the line 4-4 of 20 Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. -1.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a modified wheel construction. 25 Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line 8-! of Fig. 6.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings the 30 wheel illustrated consists generally of two separate aluminum castings A and B. The section A includes the hub and spoke portions of the wheel and the section B includes the felloe and brake drum. The hub portion of the section A, 35 indicated generally at ll, consists of an annular disc H and a substantially cylindrical portion I2. A sleeve 13, preferably formed of steel or the like, and having external axial ribs I4, is cast integral with the portion I! to form a liner 40 therefor and provide a relatively hard metal support for the bearing races or the like interposed between the wheel and aide. The ends of the sleeve l3 are preferably provided with flanges i5 overlapping the ends of the cylindrical por- 45 tion I2 and co-operating with the axial ribs I4 to securely fix, the sleeve in the hub in. The outer one of the flanges 15 may be threaded to receive a hub cap.

Spokes ll extend outwardly from the hub ll 50 at suitable intervals and have their outersurfaces l1 formed substantially in continuation of the disc ii. Webs l8 rise from the outer surface of the cylindrical portibn it? in substantially radial planes thereof and extend to the periphery of as the disc H, merging at this point into diverging webs H] which continue to form the sides of the spokes H5. The disc ll of the hub II] is preferably'thicker than the webs forming the spokes in order to provide greater strength at the point subjected to the greatest stresses. The thickened area, as shown, is bounded by an undulating line 20, the points of which extend outwardly a short distance along the outer surfaces ll of the spokes IS, in order to additionally reinforce the spokes and form an ornamental design. I

Webs 2| extend across the spaces between the spokes and are formed integral with the inner edges of the adjacent webs I9. The webs 2| constitute the outer cover of the brake housing and in addition serve to reinforce the spokes and provide a shoulder against which the section B of the wheel is secured. The webs 2| extend outwardly to define a circle having a diameter equal to the desired internal diameter of the brake drum, and have their outer edges 22 machined to permit a close fit thereof with the section B.

The outer ends of the spokes l6 are closed by webs 23 disposed thereacross and integral with the outer edges of the webs l1 and I9. The surfaces of these webs are machined to fit tightly against the section B.

It will be evident that the section A is of such configuration that it may be cast in a permanent mold with the mold halves forming the inner and outer surfaces thereof. In casting the sleeve I3 is first machined and then placed in the mold and the aluminum or other light metal alloy is poured about the sleeve and into the mold cavity. By reason of the arrangement of the webs and the included angles between meeting surfaces thereof the casting may be formed without cores and the mold halves may be withdrawn axially of the hub directly away from the surfaces of the casting after the same has solidified. Since all of the surfaces are formed by metal mold parts the dimensions of the castings are uniform within relatively small tolerances, and the character of the surfaces is such that the casting may, if desired, be used without finishing other than the removal of gate and riser fins and the like. The edges 22 of the webs 2|, however, and the outer surfaces of the webs 23 are preferably machined to form smooth accurately dimensioned seats for the section B.

The section B consists generally of an annular felloe 24 and a brake drum 25' connected to the felloe by depending webs 26 spaced in conformity with the spacing of the spokes IS on the casting A. The felloe may be of any desired configuration for co-operation with a demountable rim, or may be formed withintegral means: to receive a pneumatic or solid vehicle tire. As shown, the felloe 24 is of a conventional type and includes a cylindrical base 21 and a pair of substantially radial flanges 28 and 29 for co-operation with a demountable rim 30.

The webs 26, which are preferably reinforced by ribs 3| extending through the height of the flange 29, are of substantially the same width as the open sides of the spokes l6 and fit over such open sides outside the brake drum to close the spokes. The brake drum 25 seats on the shoulders provided by the edges 22 of the webs 2| and forms, with the webs 2| and the spokes It, a closed housing for the brake mechanism of the vehicle. The brake drum is preferably provided with a series of annular heat dissipating ribs 32 circumferentially about the felloe and brake 5 drum, the interior surfaces of these elements being formed by a suitable core. Permanent or sand core pieces may be utilized to form the spaces between the webs 26, if it is desired to core out these portions. 10 The inner surfaces of the cylindrical base 21 of the felloe, and the inner surface of the brake drum 25 are machined after casting to permit a tight fit thereof against the co-operating surfaces on the section A. Preferably the section A is 15 finished a trifle oversize and the section B is then heated and shrunk thereon. This shrinkage, however, is carefully regulated to insure a firm joint without imposing unrelieved stresses on the hub portion of the wheel. After assembling in 20 this manner the sections are preferably drilled and further secured by rivets 34 or the like. A modified form of wheel is illustrated in Figs. 6, '7, and 8. In this type of wheel the casting A is substantially identical with the casting A pre- 25 viously described except that the spokes I6 terminate flush with the outer edges of the webs 2|. The casting B is similar to the section B except that the cylindrical base portion 21' is formed with radially inset portions 35 arranged to 30 form continuations of the spokes IS. The webs 23' closing the ends of the spokes l6 and the inset portions 35 are machined to fit tightly together and are apertured to receive the rivets 34' which secure the sections A and B together. 35

So far as the novel wheel structure is concerned, it will be evident that the wheel may be manufactured by any process suited to produce the required shape and might be pressed, extruded, or forged. The invention also contemplates, 40 however, a structure particularly adapted for casting in permanent molds and arranged to avoid the creation of undesirable shrinkage stresses in any part of the wheel. When manufactured in this manner the parts may be held very closely 4 to dimensions and a fine grained tough and ductile casting is produced. The machining opera- .tions are extremely simple and the surfaces in the ordinary cast state are attractive in appearance and resistant to corrosive influences without fur- 50 ther finishing.

The term light metals will be used hereinafter to indicate metals such as aluminum, magnesium and their alloys.

Although the foregoing description is neces- 55 sarily of a detailed character in order that the invention may be fully disclosed,"it is to be understood that the specific terminology employed is not to be construed as restrictive or limiting, and it is'to be further understood that various o modifications and rearrangements of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as definedin the following claims.

I claim:

1. A metallic vehicle wheel including spokes closed on three sides and open on the fourth, webs extending between the edges of adjacent spokes through a part of their radial length and forming an outer brake cover, a brake drum 00- 70 operating with said webs to form a housing for a brake, and means completely enclosing the open sides of said spokes radially outward of said brake drum.

2. A cast light metal wheel comprising a hub 75 portion having integral spokes and a felloe portion adapted to receive a demountable rim cast separately from said hub portion and having integral spaced members aligned with, and permanently secured to, the spokes of said hub portion and a brake drum integral with said members.

3. A cast light metal wheel comprising a hub portion having integral spokes and integral webs joining adjacent spokes and forming an outer brake cover, and a'felloe portion cast separately from said hub portion and having integral spaced members aligned with said spokes and a brake drum integral with said members and co-operating with said webs to form a closed brake housing.

4. A cast light metal wheel comprising a hub portion having integral spokes closed on three sides and open on the fourth and integral webs joining the edges of adjacent spokes, and a felloe portion cast separately from said hub portion and having integral spaced members closing the open sides of said spokes radially outward from said webs and a brake drum integral with said members and co-operating with said webs to form a brake housing.

5. In a metal wheel, an annular felloe arranged to receive a demountable rim, an annular brake drum having a smaller diameter than said felloe and spaced members integral with said felloe and with said brake drum joining the same together, said members being arranged to be aligned with and permanently secured to, spokes separate from said felloe.

6. In a metal wheel, an annular felloe, an annular brake drum having a smaller diameter than said felloe, and spaced members integral with said felloe and with said brake drum joining the same together, said members being arranged to be secured to a series of spokes to form continuations thereof.

7. In ametal wheel, ahub portion having spokes integral therewith and webs integral with, and extending between, adjacent spokes, the outer edges of said webs defining a circle concentric with the hub portion, and a. felloe portion having an integral brake drum arranged to seat upon the outer edges of said webs.

8. In a metal wheel, a hub portion having spokes integral therewith and webs extending 5 between adjacent spokes, the outer edges of said webs defining a circle concentric with the hub portion, and a separate member including a felloe, a brake drum of smaller diameter than said felloe and integral means joining said felloe and 1 brake drum, said brake drum being arranged to seat upon the outer edges of said webs, and means securing said member to said spokes.

9. A cast light metal wheel including separate castings forming the hub portion and the felloe 15 portion, the hub portion including a disc having undulations forming open sided spokes joined by webs, and the felloe portion including spaced radially extending members arranged to co-operate with said spokes to form closed extensions thereof radially outward of said webs.

10. A light metal wheel including a hub portion having integral open sided spokes and integral webs joining adjacent spokes through a portion of their length and a separate felloe portion ar- 25 ranged to be secured to the ends of said spokes and including spaced integral members arranged to close the open side of said spokes radially ,outward of said webs.

11. A cast light metal'wheel comprising a hub 30 portion having radially extending spokes cast integral therewith, said spokes terminating in machined seats defining a circle concentric with said hub and a felloe portion cast separately and having integral inwardly extending members aligned with said spokes and carrying at their inner ends an integral brake drum, the ends of said inwardly extending members and the inner surface of said brake drum being machined and together defining a substantially cylindrical surface, the 40 ends of said inwardly extending members engaging and being permanently secured to the seats on the outer ends of said spokes.

BENEDICT ISIDIN. 

